11/06/2026 • Are supply chain setbacks making it harder to keep production moving when demand changes or equipment fails? In our latest blog, SEW-EURODRIVE UK & Ireland’s Managing Director Andy Turner looks at why manufacturers need to rethink how production systems are designed, supported, and adapted when disruption hits.
Lots of my conversations with our customers over the past few months, across the full spectrum of the manufacturing sector, have centred around one main question: How can I cope better when the rest of my supply chain is failing me?
We’re now in an environment where disruption has become part of normal manufacturing life. Delays, material shortages, rising costs, and geopolitical uncertainty are placing growing pressure on manufacturers across the UK and Ireland, affecting both production performance and customer confidence.
Whether your operations lie in automotive manufacturing or food production, the chances are you’ve been impacted, from microchip shortages, to the scarcity of agricultural supplies.
YouGov’s quarterly Business Sentiment Tracker found the main worries in Q1 of 2026 have centred on the supply chain, with 43 per cent of British businesses concerned about geopolitical issues, and 39 per cent concerned about financial resilience.
Much of this concern stems from a lack of production agility, exacerbated by 92 per cent of manufacturing SMEs anticipating skills gaps, and only 7 per cent of UK manufacturers reporting being ‘very knowledgeable’ about AI applications.
This has created a constant uncertainty, which when paired with forced changes to production, means operational teams are spending their time fire-fighting problems instead of long-term planning.
Many factories still rely on rigid legacy hardware, where control stems from a central structure. While this is effective in predictable environments, the increased volatility we’ve all faced as manufacturers over the past few years is challenging the rationale behind a single point of control.
A software-defined factory takes a different approach, with software becoming the core layer of manufacturing, circulating real-time intelligence across drives, motors, and other connected equipment.
This creates a production environment that can adapt more quickly to material changes, equipment faults, and shifting customer demand, a difference which is most noticeable when a drive fails during peak production.
In a traditional factory, a drive failure can quickly become a major operational issue. Without clear system visibility, engineering teams lose valuable time identifying the root cause of faults, and production output begins to fall before corrective action can be taken.
Further delays often come when spare parts need to be sourced internationally. While remote support can solve minor issues, a lack of on-site engineering presence can extend downtime and increase production backlogs.
In a modular, software-defined environment, faults are detected earlier through continuous condition monitoring and isolated before they affect the wider operation, with engineering teams gaining a clearer insight into what has failed and where intervention is needed.
Replacement parts can be sourced more quickly, repairs can begin sooner, and production disruption remains far more controlled.
Remote support can be useful for diagnostics and early troubleshooting, but in live production environments, many faults still require physical inspection and hands-on intervention.
Working with a manufacturing equipment supplier that has engineers based near your factory strengthens your resilience by reducing response times when breakdowns occur.
At the same time, sourcing replacement parts from within the UK & Ireland removes delays linked to international shipping, customs, and longer logistics chains, which reduces downtime and helps keep production moving during the most intense operational periods.
Because we work with manufacturers operating worldwide, reliable support is essential. Through our regional production model, supported by local facilities and engineering teams, we build, service, and adapt equipment closer to where it is needed, helping customers maintain operational reliability across international operations.
With four service centres across the UK, and further engineers based across the country, we’re never more than a few hours’ drive away from our customers, meaning we can provide rapid support when needed.
Our condition monitoring service, DriveRadar®, also acts as an effective tool for diagnostics and initial troubleshooting, bridging the gap between raw data and maintenance planning. By combining this insight with on-the-ground site engineers, we help high-pressure production environments stay resilient by shifting from reactivity to proactivity.
Ready to increase your production agility? Talk to our experts to learn how.
What is a software-defined factory?
A software-defined factory uses software as the main control layer for production, allowing systems to adapt, monitor performance, and respond to operational changes more quickly than traditional hardware-led environments.
Why is local engineering support important for manufacturers?
Local engineers can respond faster to breakdowns, carry out physical inspections, and complete repairs more quickly than remote-only support models.
How does condition monitoring improve resilience?
Condition monitoring uses sensors and live equipment data to identify developing faults early, allowing maintenance teams to act before failures cause unplanned downtime.